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freddie11 · ‎28-10-2023

I have only recently heard about VOIP and am a bit confused. I am with BT for my landline, but from what I can gather, to keep the landline with them would involve some inconvenience for me with internal wiring and placement of router/phone. I am looking at VM as an alternative and need some clarification on certain points. I already have VM broadband only, and have a HUB 3.

Can I use my existing phone with the VM router?

Can I use any sort of cordless set - up. Something like the BT 4000 Big Button Cordless Phone, Twin Handset?

And are VM any good with their phone service.

Thanking you in advance for any help you can offer.

goslow · ‎28-10-2023

The way VM and BT offer their landlines will align as both are moving to a phone-via-router connection. Referring to the connection as VOIP is misleading though as the customer does not benefit directly from any of the features of a true VOIP connection in the current arrangement.

VM has a phone socket on the back of the hub (TEL1). VM provides you with an adapter and you plug your ordinary landline phone into the VM hub via the adapter.

The phone socket on the hub behaves in the same way as a telephone wall socket.

Key difference (between a conventional telephone wall socket and a hub connection) is that if the hub is offline for any reason then the phone line is unlikely to work.

VM can/will link telephone wall sockets to the VM hub phone socket but really the best way to use the connection is with cordless phones. The cordless base station plugs into the hub and you use cordless satellite phones around the home as required.

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goslow · ‎28-10-2023

The way VM and BT offer their landlines will align as both are moving to a phone-via-router connection. Referring to the connection as VOIP is misleading though as the customer does not benefit directly from any of the features of a true VOIP connection in the current arrangement.

VM has a phone socket on the back of the hub (TEL1). VM provides you with an adapter and you plug your ordinary landline phone into the VM hub via the adapter.

The phone socket on the hub behaves in the same way as a telephone wall socket.

Key difference (between a conventional telephone wall socket and a hub connection) is that if the hub is offline for any reason then the phone line is unlikely to work.

VM can/will link telephone wall sockets to the VM hub phone socket but really the best way to use the connection is with cordless phones. The cordless base station plugs into the hub and you use cordless satellite phones around the home as required.

ephemerol · ‎28-10-2023

Hi Freddie,

VOIP is "Voice Over IP" - BT is in the process of slowly moving all of their customers onto this. So eventually you won't have a choice (all the old copper wiring is being removed and replaced with fibre).

On the back of the Hub3 there's a couple of small VOIP ports (possibly RJ11s?). You'll need an adaptor (I think Virgin can supply these if you ask them nicely) that allow you to connect a telephone jack (sometimes called a "BT jack" I think). I can pop some photos on here if you're not sure what the connectors look like. When you pay for the Virgin phone service these ports will become active.

If you already have a telephone that plugs into a BT master socket then that should work with VOIP. I have a DECT cordless phone plugged into mine and it worked fine (up until last week!).

As Virgin have recently cut off my telephone for unknown reasons I should probably keep my opinion of their service to myself!